Kevin Kalkhovan to investigate a second Champ Car round in Australia

[Chris - Melb]

Brett Ramsay interviewed Kevin Kalkhoven for the Melbourne TV show “In Pit Lane” at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed meeting.

Kevin said that he is going to travel to Australia latter this year to investigate a venue/s for a possible second Australian round.

Brett asked if Phillip Island and Calder Park were on the list but Kevin was non-committal (but I hope that means yes!).

No mention was made of when the event would be scheduled.

Kevin also mentioned something about getting more than one new Australian driver in the series, I think. I didn’t hear that part of the interview too well.

Chris.
Australia and New Zealand motorsport archive

[rustyfan]

Phillip Island would be sweet.

[Thunder1]

Now here is a thought with Thunderdome getting some noise lately what a site it would be for champ cars to go around the Thunderdome with Holden Monaros as one of the support categories.

Thunder1

[Kicking-back]

It would make sense to hold it the week before or after Surfers, in order to avoid two trips down under and all the associated costs.

[BootsOntheSide]

Phillip Island would be perfect, as Bathurst isn't really suited to open-wheel racing in its current form. Maybe they could arrange another double-header with the V8 Supercars?

[codename_47]

Whatever happened to that street race the V8 Supercars used to do around the capital, Canberra? :confused:

If it's true what I read at the time (about the cold weather of the even affecting attendance) would holding it after Surfers be a better solution for everyone, Champcar, V8 Supercars etc...

(Hope they let the V8 BRutes join the party too!)

Joining the ex-F1 Adelaide track with the Supercars would be a great idea too!

But if they go down the Road course route, I agree Philip Island is one of the best tracks in Australia, Champ Cars would put on a fantastic show there!

[evo]

I agree, Adelaide would be superb.

[The Snout]

The dome at Calder is a Charlotte clone, they won't race in it. The grounds are overgrown with weeds too so get the weedwand out.

MotoGp races at Phillip Island in the middle of October too, and I don't believe that they would want to host 2 big events so closely together.

Openwheels return to Adelaide ? It would be no where near the V8 event time wise.

[stmookeyj033]

Apparantly the Thunderdome could be an option. They are cleaning up the joint so that they could run a Monaro series (and a few others) over the summer here.

Adelaide would be no as that race is held in March/April and would not be cost efficient, particularly if the Gold Coast stays in its October date.

PI needs some upgrading for V8 Supercars, who would be slower than the champcars (Safety reqiurements). At that time of the year however, it is bike season on the Island, so that is almost out. I would agree however that it would be super to see the champcars at the Island.

Canberra seems to be on the backburner, particularly with the V8's going to other places that Canberra seemed to replace on the calendar (Symmons Plains).

[mountainstar]

The Thunderdome is far too bumpy for champcars and being a duplicate of charlotte, I don't think it would be too suitable for champcars. Too steep. So you can forget that.

Phillip Island might be good, but there is the safety issue, however a revised track may be more suitable, but will it draw the big crowds?

Adelaide would be the best for sure.

An idea for a Sydney street race has been juggled around over the years. Is it time to give that a fresh look? A Perth/Fremantle venue is also worth a look too and may be even better.

[Heidi]

Calder would produce the same problems as Texas with its steep banking, although nice idea and it would provide the Thunderdome a great revival.

AdelaideGP would be awesome, it's already a huge event, why not make it bigger? But could you see Tony Cochrane allowing the Champcars to run at his favourite race?

Phillip Island needs its dirt/tyre walls upgraded to concrete before a champcar race can run safely!

There have been talks in the past to host a major motorsports event at Homebush (Sydney 2000 Olympics), the infrastructure is already there for it!

Bathurst would be fine if you wanted to see horrific accidents. The circuit just isn't safe for a major open-wheel event.

[D.R.T.]

Calder would be spectacular, but as mentioned to steep, like texas. That would be a site though, I can remember back in 88 my first ever time at the Thunderdome and they were Nascars, so champ car would be great.

I think if they come for a second race, please make it on a permanent race track.

Phillip Island. Oh yeah, the fast flowing sweeping corners would be an awesome sight and provide great racing. Apparently the FIA world touring cars are looking at race at PI aswell as the DTM, so safety requirements are being seriously looked.
Would it pull a crowd, hmmmm you have to see.

Champ car could come to my local track Eastern Creek, good facilities and wouldn't put on a great race though, but being 15 mins away I like it.

Sandown lovely track, had the world sportscar championship round there in the mid 80's if memory serves, another pearler. Funny how all the goodies are in Victoria

[Growling Ferret]

There will never be another race on the Canberra Street circuit...

The cost and associated annoyance to many Canberrans saw the event given the ar#e and a new local goverment voted in.

We can't even get a much promised dragway in Canberra

[Chris - Melb]

Sorry macdaddy, I was not aware of the new ban on giving out home pages. I am not a regular poster. It is the first time I have come across such a ban on a forum, so I will have to remember next time I post on your forum. I tried to reply to your private message but it kept on asking me to re-sign in. Why is that???

Re Phillip Island, I have heard talk that if a F1 Grand Prix was to ever be run at the venue that they would have to put a chicane at the end of the main straight, not a major problem though. I imagine they may have to do the same for Champ Cars. Maybe if a Champ Car event is successful there the next step is…

Also remember that the date for the Moto GP may not be cast in stone, or the Gold Coast Champ Cars for that matter. I am sure the Gold Coast would do whatever to share travelling costs, maybe.

The Fox’s have very big plans for the venue and usually achieve their aims (ok, don’t mention Ansett Airlines!). It has been reported that they are looking at things such as DTM.

They have just spent 3 million on safety upgrades in the first stage of the redevelopment.

Calder could use a combination of the road circuit and the extra wide flat apron (made wide for that purpose) of the Thunderdome - if it complied with regulations. Remember that a round of the World Touring Car Championship was held there using the Thunderdome banking and the road circuit combination.

Bob Jane has said that things are going to fire up again at Calder/Thunderdome.

Chris.

[marcus]

Bring em to Winton


calder is out I think due to the track itself , canberra never was anything good at all and should never be re-opened , Bathurst should never change and therefore is unsuited to openwheelers , and Phillip island is just too damm fast for these cars.

other possibilities ???


Adelaide , in my opinion that would be perfect , but time and money seem the big catch there , and what about Eastern creek , its possible but would the track provide great racing , probably not.

[mitchie]

A second race down here would reak of awesomeness.

Doing a 2 week back to back journey down here would be logical, and I agree with those calling for it to be on a permenant road course. The Champ Car Grand Prix of Oran Park has a nice (albeit impossible) ring to it .

I was discussing with someone the other week a Champ Car race around the Adelaide GP circuit. Given currently scheduling, it would never happen methinks but if it was to happen it would be great.

[macdaddy]

No need to apologize, Chris-Melb. Pertaining to your PM problem, the only thing that I can think of is your acceptance/use of "cookies"?

[Chucky]

It'll be either WA or PI at the start of the year. Although it could be Adelaide as KK has a lot of links to the place. But you'd have to wlak over TCochrane's dead body to get it!

[stoned pony]

A second ChampCar race in Oz? Bring it on! My personal choice would be Eastern Creek but that is only for selfish reasons.
Mind you, putting a race like that in the country's biggest city in an area populated by a lot of revheads would have to have a lot of financial merit.
Then again, imagine the look on Premier Bob's face when he was made aware that some teams were sponsored by (gasp!!) tobacco companies.

[blaarg]

Bring on another double header with the V8's @ Adelaide.

Hopefully it's not as far fetched as it seems.

[mountainstar]

Winton would be great but I think it's too "country" for champcars. However it could be do-able with a few changes to runoff areas and there could be some better spectator facilities. I like Winton but overall I don't see it happening.

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of a Perth street race.

[blaarg]

IF Adelaide doesn't workout, Homebush in Sydney would be ideal as previously mentioned.

The facilities to the area are fantastic with hotels, public transport, freeways and parking.

Disruption to the immediate area would be minimal, other events could be staged on the same weekend. (ie. Sydney Motorshow or Music Festival?)

Olympic Boulevard could host a pitlane, it's wide enough.

A map of the site as follows:
http://www.tovegin.com.au/community/...ailed_1000.jpg

What are your thoughts?

[Chris - Melb]

I suppose it is interesting to discuss the virtues of circuits in states other than Victoria, but don’t lose site of the fact that it was names of two circuit in Victoria that were put forward in the interview with Kevin. One could perhaps assume that Brett was either told by Kevin or had pretty good intelligence that suggested those two venues. Just a thought...

[stmookeyj033]

Originally posted by mountainstar
The more I think about it the more I like the idea of a Perth street race.

Yeah, a street race in Perth makes some sense. They were talking about a track for a Formula Nippon race and the V8's do need to move from Barbagallo (small, cramped, and the lap times are almost less than 1 minute). Perhaps a Southern Hemisphere triple header (South African circuit, Perth, Gold Coast) would be a goer.

[luke]

Originally posted by blaarg
IF Adelaide doesn't workout, Homebush in Sydney would be ideal as previously mentioned.

Adelaide. . . . . ah yes now wouldn't that be a great venue to host Champ Cars.